Improvement in baby-walkers



IRVING D. CLARK, OF GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BABV=WALKERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. lQJlS, dated April 20, 1875; application led March 2, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING D. CLARK, of Gloversville, Fulton county, State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Talking-Table; and I do hereby decla-re that the following is a description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents a perspective view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan view of aform of moditication of the elastic band employed.

My invention relates to a device denominated childs walking-table, intended to be used by children learning to walk; and consists in the several parts and their combinations hereinafter described, and so arranged that a child learning to walk may be supported and aided in walkin g in a room and be permitted to en gage in play with its toys preserved within reach, and, when tired, to rest by sitting on a proper seat, while the device .is so constructed as to be readily moved in any direction from place to place without liability of upsetting.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it in reference to the drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, the same letters indicating like parts.

In the drawings, A represents a circular platform, made with a central opening, A', supported by the several legs B. The outer edge of the said platform is provided with a projecting guard-rim, a, which is intended to prevent any toys placed on the platform from falling off. The inner edge surrounding the central opening is also guarded by the projecting guard b, as shown. The said inner guard is made convex in its surface, to prevent the child being injured in the least by reason of any sharp corners or angles. rEhe number of legs B employed in this invention are tive or more, so that the feet in no case may form a square, as in the case where four legs are used, and the table maybe prevented from being set against an obstacle by reason of the contact of the legs with the same. Each of the said legs is provided with a caster-wheel, c, on which the said table may be moved over the floor. To prevent the table from upsetting, the feet of the legs are eX- tended in their lower ends out-to a vertical range with the outer edge of the table, or past the same, while the upper ends are drawn in to near the inner edge surrounding the central opening. The central opening is provided with a tlexible Waist-holder, D, consisting ot' any yielding substance so arranged within the said opening as to intervene between the person ofthe child and the wood of the platform. The said waist-holder is made with a strap, e, supported by loops or braces e from the platform A, in which the child is to be placed when it is desired that it should operate with this device. If desired, the said waist-holder may be made of several strips of webbing or equivalent pieces, e, arranged as in Fig. 4, which would operate substantially the same for effecting the same purpose. A seat, E, is also provided for the support of the child when tired. The said seat is swung from some one or more of the legs B, and is capable of being turned down, as in Fig. l, or in a horizontal position, as in Fig. 3, and secured by a strap, j'. When the child is to move about the tloor the said seat will be dropped down, while when it is to be used as a cha-ir it is to be secured up, as shown.

The advantages robe had by reason of the improvements in this invention over the various walking devices heretofore employed are these: rlhe platform is made to serve as a table for the support of playthings or toys, and at the same time prevents, by its extension, the child being hurt. The feet extending out to a vertical range with the outer edge of the platform gives to the device an extensive base for support from the Hoor without liability of upsetting. The increased number of feet prevents the device from becoming set by the engagement of two feet with an obstacle, in which a wide spread of the same in other walking devices is prevented, and the child is rendered capable ot' moving the device in several directions. The waist-holder operates to prevent the child from approaching the edge of the central opening, and also holds it centrally in the device. rIhe seat enables the child to sit when tired, with its toys on the platform wit-hin easy reach, and also permits rims a and b, in combination with the iexible Waist-holder D and the swinging seat E, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as shown and described.

IRVING D. CLARK. Witnesses:

J. H. BELLINGER, J. M. WOOD. 

